LANSING, Mich. – The primary election is over and now the gloves are off in the two top-of-the-ticket races in Michigan.
Multiple polls in a row are now showing the duel between Rick Snyder and Mark Schauer is competitive. One recent poll has the men tied; the others have Schauer breathing down the governor's neck.
There's more than a little grumbling from inside the GOP that these numbers should not be this close.
Schauer has been up on the air all summer. A strong ad by from the Democratic Governors Association has helped build his name identity across the metro Detroit area, and the Democratic party has been extremely effective at launching bombs like this one: GOP operatives caught with spyglasses at a Schauer event after losing their data card with the video on it.
"I do believe Mark Schauer is in striking range," said Joe Disano. "It has to do with the environment -- the RGA (Republican Governors Association) in the least."
The governor hasn't been up on TV this summer and hasn't been doing any high-profile campaigning. His poll numbers show it.
"You have the governor who has been largely silent except for the ad when he went scuba diving," said political consultant Matt Marsden.
Sources told Local 4 when the governor's campaign kicks into high gear, it will be sustained until Election Day. Can Schauer match that pace and the money?
"No, I don't think the governor is in danger of losing this thing in November," said Marsden.